The rivalry game between Texas and Texas A&M doesn't arrive until the final week of the regular season, but it's already on Marcel Reed's mind.
"We don't like Texas. I don't like Texas," the Aggies quarterback told Blake Toppmeyer of USA Today. "It sucks that we've lost to them twice. But, they're coming here this year, so they're gonna have to pay. I've got something for them, for sure."
The schools faced off 118 times from 1894 to 2011 in one of college football's longest-running rivalries. However, the Aggies' move to the SEC put the contest on hiatus for 13 years until the Longhorns joined them in the conference prior to the 2024 season.
Things have gone the Longhorns' way since the resumption of hostilities, as they're 2-0 the past two seasons against Texas A&M. Their defense's ability to stifle the electric Reed has been a big part of that success.
Reed's turned in two of his worst games in the rivalry affair, throwing three interceptions and averaging just 163 yards passing in those contests.
While the junior quarterback has put up some impressive overall stats during his two years as starter, his big-game struggles have kept Texas A&M from taking the next step. He followed up his two-interception performance against Texas by throwing two more picks in the Aggies' opening-round playoff loss to Miami.
It's an area of focus for Reed as he leads eighth-ranked Texas A&M into the 2026 campaign.
"My biggest step is eliminating those negative plays," Reed said. "I had a lot of turnovers, and some of them were in critical situations. Those are the ones I want to eliminate."
If Reed can limit his mistakes, the season finale versus Texas should have playoff stakes, as both teams are ranked in the preseason top 10.
